Twin
by Dragonscalesagain
Summary: Donna's sister comes to visit and Josh is his usual self.


**Twin**

"So I thought I'd come and visit… see what my _little_ sister is up to"

Donna sat stunned on the end of the phone; this was the last thing she needed "Really? When…?"

"This week – pick me up at the airport 5pm on Friday…okay? Anyway got to go, see you number 2!"

And with that the phone went dead. Donna sat numbly and slowly put the phone down. This was terrible, horrible, her sister was coming to visit, to invade her life she had built for herself. Her twin sister was chalk to her cheese, but she couldn't refuse her and she now knew she would have to tell Josh. Could this day get any worse?

Josh wandered through the bullpen and noticed Donna looking paler than usual at her desk.

"You okay?"

She looked up at him, eyes blank, uncomprehending. "Errr...er yes" she took a deep breath. "Can I get off early on Friday?"

"Hot date?" Josh smirked at her.

Donna didn't rise, and that in itself told Josh she wasn't right "No… my sister is coming to visit"

"Lucy? Cool" Josh had met Donna's elder sister while on the campaign and liked her immensely; she could banter with Josh as well as Donna could, but as the mother of four boys, took no nonsense either.

"No… my other sister…my twin sister, Gabi" Donna stuttered.

"You have a _twin_ sister?" Josh squawked "How did I not know that?"

"You really haven't read my file have you…?"

"No!"

"Okay… no need to shout… Her name is Gabi, Gabriella really, she is 5 minutes older than me, we're mirror twins, reflections of each other, I'm right handed and she's left handed and so on, but otherwise identical. She's coming to visit on Friday…" Donna trailed off.

"How come you've not mentioned her?"

"We don't get on" and with that Donna turned away and began to type the notes in front of her. She obviously didn't want to carry on this conversation, so Josh moved into his office.

"And you had no idea?" Sam asked that night in the bar.

"No, but this is going to be great… if she is Donna's twin she is going to be great isn't she? Can you imagine Donna with no barriers…" Josh stopped himself, realising he had said too much. He looked down at his glass. Sam smirked at his friend,

"Josh… is there something you want to tell me?" Sam prodded him "Have you been having unprofessional thoughts about your assistant…again?"

"What…err…no?

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Sam smirked

Josh sighed…"Okay… maybe, but I can't help it, she's my best friend except for you, but we can't have anything else. So if Gabi is up for it… maybe this will solve my problem! I can get Donna out of my system and not be fired"

"Do you honestly think you just need to get Donna 'out of your system'? If that was all you two had, wouldn't you have had a campaign fling and moved on?"

"You're right…" Josh conceded "…but there is no way Leo would ever sanction anything now, and anyway, Donna's not interested in me, and this means I get a little fun"

Sam kept quiet, he knew full well Josh's feelings for Donna, even if Josh didn't know himself, he also knew Josh was only seeing what he wanted to. If Donna didn't get on with her sister there had to be a reason why. Sam got an uneasy feeling about the whole thing, in fact he was a little pissed that his best friend was being so short sighted.

"I didn't realise you worked so close to the oval office… I thought you would be somewhere down in the basement!" Gabi managed to compliment and insult Donna in one sentence as they sat in the bullpen. Josh was out at a meeting, it was Saturday morning and he had asked Donna to drop in with her sister so he could meet the magical twin.

"Yeah, well Josh is the deputy chief of staff; he can't be too far away from the president" Donna bit back various other retorts that had gone through her head. Her sister looked much the same as ever, same blonde hair as her, except for Gabi's was slightly shorter, same figure, same skin except Gabi's was freckled from the Florida sun. Gabi's taste in clothes was a little less 'classic' than Donna's (Donna was in a pencil skirt suit, with red heels, Gabi was in jeans with her thong peaking out the top) but other than that they were doubles. Donna was five minutes younger than Gabi and had always been under her thumb, she was known as 'Number two' jokingly in the family and that seemed to have been the position she filled, never quite as good as Gabi. Donna had been in her shadow until she went to join the Bartlet campaign and once out of her clutches Donna realised just how much Gabi had controlled her and what she thought of herself. Since leaving her old life Donna had become confident and happy, but Gabi turning up had put it in the balance. To make matters worse Gabi had finished college and got married – although that had quickly ended in divorce. To Donna, Gabi represented everything she should have been, everything she couldn't be. When they were teenagers Gabi in her most bitchy moments would point out that her name meant 'angel' when Donna's just mean t 'little woman', that about summed everything up.

Just at that moment Josh strode through the bullpen, stopped in his tracks and gazed. It looked like his dreams were coming true, for in front of him was a second Donna, a Donna with no barriers, no rules and no reason not to go out with him. He grinned his best dimpled grin!

'Donnatella…you're here and this must be your lovely sister…' Josh extended his hand to Gabi, who leapt you of her chair, grabbed his hand and fluttered her eyelashes at him

"This must the very handsome Josh Lyman – Donna you never said he was this good looking"

Donna felt like throwing up.

"We're going now… are you sure you'll be okay?" Josh beamed at Donna

"Yeah of course…I'm just going to collect these things and then go back to my apartment… have a good time" Donna put on her best performance; she couldn't believe what had happened that day.

After the initial introductions that morning, Gabi and Josh had flirted their way to a date that night. Gabi and Donna had gone to see the sights of Washington while Josh had worked and then Donna had delivered Gabi back to the White House and Josh. She hadn't cried yet.

Gabi appeared round the corner and Josh held out his arm for her.

"Are you ready?"

"Hell yeah, show me a good time Josh"

And they were gone. The tears came almost instantly. She had done it again; Gabi had swanned into Donna's life and taken everything from her again. She thought she would be safe from her here, working in the White House, for the third most powerful man in the country, with a staff of 50 below her, with the president knowing her and trusting her advice. But no, Gabi could still waltz in and make her feel two inches high, with her 'Number 2' jabs and her insidious way of looking like she was making a compliment while actually have a dig. She was the jellyfish they talked about in 'Bridget Jones'. She was sure Gabi still thought she was just a 'secretary'. What made it worse is that she had taken Josh, in 6 hours she had met him, flirted with him and gone out on a date with him. Donna had known Josh for 4 years and still had nothing more than longing looks and fantasies. She didn't want to think about the things Josh and Gabi would be doing. And what did it say about her? If Josh was so keen to date her sister, why didn't he look twice at her? Weren't they meant to be identical? It was obvious to Donna that everything Gabi had ever said about her being second best and not up to scratch must be true. She sobbed even harder and dropped her head to the desk.

Sam could hear sobbing. He couldn't work out where from, but in the quiet of the White House on a Saturday night it was unmistakable noise. He got up from his desk and wandered towards the sound. As he rounded the corner of the bullpen he saw a heart-breaking sight. Donna was sat with her head on her arms, sobbing her heart out. Sam ran over to here and took her in his arms. He hated to see his friend so upset and he had a good idea why.

"Shhhhh…Donna don't cry"

'Oh Sam, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you… I thought I was alone"

"Don't worry about it, what's wrong"

"I'm getting you shirt all wet" Donna tried to pull away, but Sam held on tight

"No, you don't, Donna tell me what's wrong? What are you doing here all alone on a Saturday night, isn't your sister visiting?"

At that she burst into tears again, and Sam struggled to hear what she was saying.

"She's…..she's gone (sniff) on a date with Josh"

In a flash Sam felt angrier with Josh than any time he could remember. How could his best friend be so stupid and blinkered and selfish? How could he not see how Donna felt about him and how much dating her sister would hurt her? Josh was just thinking of himself and he'd seen an easy solution to a problem he had made. If he would just be a man and stand up to Leo it was likely he could have his 'cake' and eat it. Sam pulled Donna closer and let her sob, he didn't need her to explain any more, Donna wore her heart on her sleeve and Sam knew how she felt about Josh. If he hadn't known he would have asked her out himself, she was sweet, kind, gorgeous and funny, what was there not to like? The thing with Donna though was she had no idea, especially as Josh acted like a guard dog if any man looked at her. She could have dated every single, single male member of congress and the senate if it wasn't for their fear of Josh.

"Come on…" said Sam suddenly pulling Donna up "We're going to get drunk and you are going to talk to me about it"

"No Sam… I couldn't, I don't want to ruin your Saturday night!"

"Donna, I was in my office, I have no plans and why wouldn't I want to take a beautiful woman out for a drink to cheer her up?" Donna began to speak again, but Sam cut her off "No, no protests – now go and mend you face and I'll see you in five" Donna looked at him for a moment longer, smiled slightly and headed off to the bathroom.

An hour later Sam and Donna were huddled in the corner of their favourite bar, in a little booth. They had each had a beer and had studiously avoided talking about Josh, Gabi or anything else like that. Instead they had speculated about the various office romances going on with the interns and CJ and Danny.

'It's so unfair' sighed Donna

"What?"

"Why couldn't I have fallen for Ed or Larry, or someone else easy?"

"Ed or Larry" Sam smirked at her.

"Well, you know, someone not… not…"

"Not Josh" Sam finished

Donna looked up at him alarmed and then conceded and relaxed "I'm that obvious am I?"

"To some of us yes, ironically not to Josh though, he doesn't think you are interested in him that way?"

"Hmmmmmm… I thought we had something… you know, I thought I was at least his friend, but then he does something like this, he knows I don't get on with her, but instead of asking why, he takes her out on a date…" Donna looked down cast and stared into the top of the beer bottle.

"If I tell you something…" Sam begun "…will you promise not to tell Josh I told you…"

"What are we, in junior high?" Donna looked up at him with a smirk, then she noticed how serious Sam looked "Okay, I promise"

"Josh is only out with Gabi because he can't be out with you, or he thinks he can't. He's wanted you since you first met, I remember long discussions about it on the first campaign, he didn't think you felt the same, thought he was too old, didn't want to ruin your working relationship and he's been talking himself out of it ever since. With your _twin_ sister arriving, he thought he might be able to find a solution to his problem. I told him it wasn't a good idea – but he's being very Josh about it"

Donna stared at Sam, disbelieving "It's very nice of you to say Sam, but there is no way Josh feels that way about me…does he?" Hope flared in Donna's eyes and then rapidly died "Even if he did, he won't now, and he'll want Gabi now he's met her."

Sam took Donna's hand over the table "Why don't you get on?" he questioned.

"Oh I don't know…" Donna began "We never have, my mom said she could feel ups pushing each other in the womb. She is the oldest and never let me forget, she graduated better than me, although I know for a fact she cheated on some of her exams, she finished her college degree, she got married to the most popular boy in school. Even Dr Freeride really wanted to date her and not me at first. My parents know the situation, but to be quite honest they can't do much as she doesn't often go home, at least these days I have my family to myself more often than not…"

"What does she do?"

"She works in sales, for some big company out in Florida, she has her own assistant which she never lets me forget, _she_ is the boss." Donna stopped as she mentally ticked off why Gabi and Josh were a good match – they were equal.

"But it's unlike you to not get on with someone…" Sam begun

"We're more than just physically opposite, our make-up is that way too, she takes, she climbs and she'll do anything to succeed, where as I… I just want to make a difference."

Sam smiled at Donna "Well, I know which one I like best" and squeezed here hand. Before the moment could get awkward Sam changed the subject "Do want something to eat? They do a bar food here…" for the first time in days Donna felt hungry.

"Yeah that would be good" she smiled and Sam.

It took Josh about 5 minutes to realise what a fool he had been to think Gabi was a good Donna replacement. They had been out for dinner at one of Josh's favourite restaurants. He had ordered the chicken, she had, had lamb rare, which turned his stomach. She had drunk the best part of a bottle of wine, but completely failed to tell him not to drink too much. She put him on edge, and he couldn't figure out why. Across from him there was a Donna clone, same hair, although hers was a bit shorter, same complexion, although not quite as alabaster as Donna's, same eyes, although not quite as open and innocent, same voice, except…. except what she said was not anything Donna would say.

"I don't know who that waitress thinks she is, but she is very rude" she staged whispered to Josh after dessert was delivered to him (she wasn't having any because she "didn't want to get hips like Donna's", even Josh found that a bitchy comment). "She didn't even acknowledge me...anyway where were we?"

"Ummm… " Josh hedged

"Oh yeah… Donna's ex Greg… you know I think she should have stayed with him, yeah he two timed her, but honestly she's never done any better than him since, at least she wouldn't have to work as a secretary…"

"Errrr" Josh was about to protest, but Gabi just kept talking.

"He wanted me really… but I was seeing someone else at the time so he settled for Donna instead, he tried it on with me twice while they were together, but both times he was so drunk I figured he wouldn't have performed very well…"

"Check please" Josh caught the eye of the waitress as she walked by.

"Oh you've finished already, well now you can take me to that bar you were talking about, we can be as late as we want Donna won't be waiting up"

Josh noticed Sam and Donna as soon as he entered the bar. They had a big plate of fries and things in front of them and they were obviously onto their third beer. Gabi had found a table near the bar, before Josh could suggest sitting with them, ordering him to get her a cosmopolitan. Josh stood at the bar and watched Sam and Donna. They were laughing and talking, obviously enjoying each other's company. He wondered how they had ended up in the bar, Donna had said she was going home, but looking more closely at her Josh she could tell she had been crying. Josh knew they weren't on a date, Sam knew how he felt about Donna and wouldn't do something like that to him… and that is when it hit him. Sam would never move in on Donna because he knew Josh would kill him, in fact no man in Washington who knew Josh would make a move on Donna, and yet he hadn't waited for her. He had seen what looked like a good alternative and chased after it like a dog on heat. He had paid no heed to the reasons Donna didn't like Gabi, had not sat down and asked her why she, of all people, didn't get on with her. He had not listened to her all week and had barely noticed her presence that day, so full with the anticipation of having a date with 'Donna' without the baggage. He had been a fool and now he wanted to be the other side of the bar, sitting with Donna and Sam… not with Gabi.

"Hey Gabi" he called "Come over here, Donna and Sam are here"

Gabi was just about to protest when she spotted Sam, never mind Josh, this one looked like a movie star. They wandered over to where Sam and Donna were.

"Who's this?" Gabi began, with no other introduction. Donna who hadn't seen her coming flinched, a movement that wasn't lost on Sam.

'Gabi!' Donna started "I didn't see you…. This is Sam Seaborne, Sam this is Gabriella Moss" Donna introduced them.

'Donna's twin sister' said Sam with his politician's smile plastered over his face.

'No… Donna is my twin sister – I'm the oldest, she's the copy" Gabi laughed and Donna seemed to shrink even further back into her seat. Sam could not think of one thing to say, but Gabi seemed unfazed and sat down right next to him, opposite Donna and began to talk.

"Donna, I thought you were going home…."

"Sam convinced me to come out for a drink…"

"And what is it that you do Sam, I bet a handsome man like you is in the press room being the face of the administration"

"Urrrr, no, noI'm a speech writer" stuttered Sam, unsure of how to handle this bold version of Donna.

"Oh, so you're clever then? What are you doing hanging about with the likes of my college dropout sister?"

Sam became Donna's knight in shining armour at this point, Josh just stood beside the table open mouthed….

"Donna doesn't need a degree to show her intelligence" Sam began "We all know she runs Josh's office and that he would be lost without her, right Josh?"

"Errr – right, yes of course!" Josh agreed and finally sat down by Donna, making her move up.

"Don't be silly, Josh doesn't need Donna, she is just a secretary"

"I do" Josh protested quickly "Leo often threatens me with swapping us around, I know Donna could do my job, and I also know I couldn't do hers – it scares the life out of me!" Gabi looked a little put out at Donna getting this sort of praise, so instead she turned her attention to Sam, she wanted the evening to end with both of these handsome men in the palm of her hand.

"So Sam" she purred and put a hand on his arm "How did you end up in little old DC?"

As Sam begun to explain how he came to be working in the White House, Josh stole a glance at Donna, she was slumped in the corner of the booth, looking down and nibbling her lip as if worried about something. Without thinking he reached out and put his hand on her thigh. She jumped and looked up at him with big hurt eyes.

Josh's heart broke at that very second, he didn't know what to do or say, he just knew he needed to make this right.

"How long is she staying for?" Josh whispered at Donna and nodded in the direction of Gabi.

"Tomorrow – she goes tomorrow" whispered Donna.

"Good" said Josh, hoping Donna would realise what he was implying. Donna looked up at him again and tried to read him. Did he mean he was glad she was going? Did he want to sleep with her and have no strings attached? Donna couldn't read him and was afraid of what it might mean.

The taxi pulled up outside Donna's apartment and Donna and Sam got out, followed with some difficulty by Josh and Gabi. Gabi was feeling the effects of all the wine and was draped over Josh in a very unsettling way. Josh didn't know what to do. He needed to talk to Donna, needed to get rid of Gabi and needed to stop Sam from giving him filthy looks.

"Doooooooooooooo you want to come up for some coffee?" leered Gabi at Josh and Sam simultaneously.

"Errrr…" said Josh, "No, we had better get going, I have a meeting with Leo tomorrow and without Donna there to prepare I have to go in early".

"Donna can go in tomorrow and you can keep me company instead" Gabi suggested, giving Josh a come hither look. Sam stepped in.

"Come on ladies, we'll walk you in and then make our way, it's a cold night". Sam took Gabi's arm and led her inside; Donna had already opened the door. Gabi strolled into apartment and collapsed on the sofa. "Get us some coffee Donna, I'm sure that Josh and Sam will stay now they are here". To Josh's surprise Donna meekly went to the kitchen and switched on the coffee maker. He followed her into the kitchen and stilled her hands on the machine. "No coffee needed…" he said to her firmly "Sam and I are going to go… what time are you free tomorrow" Josh spoke, his words with a double meaning he hoped Donna would pick up "Her flight leaves at 2" Donna replied. "I'll be over at 3" Josh stated, dropping her hands and leaving the kitchen "Come on Sam, we've got to go". At that he said his goodbyes and left Gabi wondering what had happened.

In the silence that followed Sam and Josh leaving, Donna took a couple of minutes to gird her loins against the tirade she was expecting from Gabi. She went into the living room to find her slumped on the sofa glaring into space.

"Well, that didn't go as planned" she huffed "I thought for certain I was going to get some tonight, your friends are very rude" she glared accusingly at Donna.

"No… no there not, they're just busy at the moment." Donna changed the subject "How was your date?"

"Oh all right, he talked a lot about politics, which as you know I find very boring, and he didn't drink very much, which I don't find very attractive, I like a man who can hold his drink. Oh and he didn't really laugh at my jokes and the funny stories I told about you being stupid when you were younger!" Donna cringed at what she may have said. "Still I was pretty sure I was going to have a good night if you know what I mean".

Donna couldn't hold back any longer "It's not Josh's style" she said matter-of-factly. "He's not like that."

"Oh please, he's a man, they are all like that, I think meeting you and Sam must have cramped his style, I'm sure we would have got it on, otherwise. Although I don't know how good he'd be, he is old…"

Donna smiled to herself, she knew that if something had happened between Josh and Gabi, Gabi would be singing his praises. As it was, she was talking him down and trying to belittle Donna in the process by making out her boss wasn't all that. What Gabi didn't realise was that everything she said was just confirming to her that Josh was who she thought he was, that she hadn't completely misjudged him.

"Well, that was unbelievably stupid" said Sam as they walked away from Donna's apartment.

"Yeah" was all Josh could say.

"Have you learnt your lesson?"

"What lesson?" Josh stopped in his tracks

"That no one is as good as Donna for you, not even a lookalike" stated Sam.

Josh stood motionless for a moment going over the night's events. "You know she is everything Donna isn't, she's really confident, sure of herself, but she's stupid, you know, she doesn't seem to take an interest. I suppose looking as stunning as she does she has just let her looks dictate her behaviour. Gabi is too much like Amy! Donna is even more beautiful but doesn't act like it."

"Well that's your fault" said Sam

"How's that my fault?"

"Well, she never gets asked out because the whole of Washington knows they'll incur your wrath. Donna just thinks it's because she isn't worth looking at"

"Did she say that? "

"No, but I know her well enough to know"

"How did you guys end up being out tonight?"

"I found her crying in the bullpen over some stupid ass, who had made her feel worthless, yet again"

"Who, I'll kill the… oh, oh you mean me don't you?"

"And the light dawns" smirked Sam

"Shit"

"Yes. Josh can I say something to you?"

"Yeah" Josh sighed

"Honest to god, if you don't get off your ass and do something about Donna and you tomorrow, I don't know what I will do to you, but it will be something painful. She is the best thing that has ever happened to you, she is beautiful, funny, intelligent and perfect in every way. Hundreds of men want to ask her out and yet you have managed to make her feel worthless through your own selfishness. You don't deserve her, but for some unknown reason she wants you. So fix this and don't talk to me again until you have!" Sam stormed off down the street leaving Josh with his thoughts.

At exactly 3pm the following day there was a knock on Donna's door. She had dropped Gabi back at the airport at 1pm, but the morning hadn't been too bad. Despite the emotions of the night before it had given her confidence, confidence to ignore Gabi's jibes and digs, because despite her best efforts Gabi had not managed to ruin her life in Washington. Donna was feeling good, she worked in the White House, she had great friends, a lovely little apartment to call he own and a boss who was okay most of the time. She still wasn't sure what Josh had meant last night, but the thought of seeing him later had made her happy, even if all they did was work.

Donna opened the door to a big bunch of white roses and a sheepish looking Josh on the other side.

"Oh Josh, are they for me?"

"Yeah… as a sort of sorry?" he looked at her pleadingly.

"What are you sorry for?" she wasn't going to make it easy.

"For being selfish and not being a good friend?"

"That will do, do you want to come in?"

Josh followed Donna into the living room, he watched her put down the flowers and as she turned to take his coat he grabbed her arm and pulled her close. His lips crashed down on hers and he enveloped her in his arms, hoping the kiss would tell her what he felt without words.

They pulled apart when the need for air became too much "Josh…?" Donna looked at him in wonder.

"I've been such a fool and such a coward" he whispered "I've wanted you for so long, and then I thought that maybe I could have a version of you. But all last night pointed out to me was how there is no one in the world as perfect as you Donnatella Moss"

Donna felt weak in his arms, like some bad romance novel, all she could do was cling to him and try and process the words he was saying. As she gazed up at him, a smile began to spread across her face.

"I still don't know how Gabi could have turned out like that, when you and your other sister are so normal, but I thank god I met her, because if nothing else she has kicked me into doing something about us. Do you want this? Do you want an us?"

Donna captured Josh's lips once more in reply.

"I love you…" whispered Josh "only you."


End file.
